There are map applications configured to compute a route for traveling from a location to another location. For example, after a user specifies a starting point and a destination, a map application typically computes a route of road segments from the starting point to the destination and presents the route on a map. Based on the current location of the map-based navigation device in which the map application is running, the map application may provide turn by turn navigation instructions to assist the driver in following the route to the destination.
Some of the map applications may estimate the arrival time based on the computed route. The arrival time may be based on the current speed of travel and/or the real time traffic conditions. For example, in some systems, mobile phones moving on roads determine their speeds and/or locations as a function time and report the speed/location data to a centralized server, which determines the traffic conditions of the respective roads based on the reports received from the mobile phones. The traffic conditions may be presented on the map application and/or used to estimate the arrival time at the destination following the computed route.
Such map applications are helpful, but generally insufficient to meet the navigation needs of a traveler scheduled to board a flight scheduled to take off at a predetermined time.